MITIGATION

Success Stories

Over the years, Wisconsin communities have implemented successful hazard mitigation projects. The projects were designed to help decrease the impacts from future events. The following articles demonstrate how mitigation programs can be applied to local communities to help reduce the risks from natural hazards.

Loss Avoidance Studies

In response to past flooding in Milwaukee County, local governments within the county acquired and demolished 54 repetitively damaged properties. FEMA partnered with the State of Wisconsin to complete a loss avoidance study. Five project areas were studied: the City of Wauwatosa, two areas in the City of Milwaukee, and the villages of Brown Deer and Oak Creek.

Because of frequent flooding in Wisconsin, a number of flood mitigation projects involving acquisition/demolition have been implemented in recent years along the Rock, Fox, and Kickapoo Rivers. To evaluate the mitigation projects for cost-effectiveness, FEMA partnered with the State to conduct a loss avoidance study. The intent of the study was to compare the losses avoided in all floods since the implementation of the mitigation projects to the cost of the mitigation projects.

Severe Weather/Tornado/Wind Mitigation

FEMA Mitigation Best Practices

Throughout the country, many individuals, businesses, and communities have been taking action to prevent disaster damages. To see how others are protecting their lives and property visit FEMA's Mitigation Best Practices Portfolio.

Related Resources

WEM Information

Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM) is the lead state agency charged with coordinating the state's planning, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery efforts for natural and man-caused disasters.

WEM operates a 24-hour emergency hotline to answer calls reporting hazardous materials spills, requests for state assistance in search and rescue missions, severe weather events, public health problems, and other threats to public safety.